Well-drilling machine.



G. W. SLAUGHTER, JR. WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE '1, 191a.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Witnesses Attorneys "HE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTOLITHO. WAaHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SLAUGHTER, JIL, OF SAN AUGUSTINE, TEXAS.

WELL-DRILLING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen WV. SLAUGH- rnn, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Augustine, in the county of c an Augustine and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Veil-Drilling hlachine, of which the following is a specilieation.

The present invention appertains to well drilling machines, and relates more particularly to a novel, and improved means for manipulating and actuating the drill cable.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device of the nature indicated which shall eliminate the use of a walking beam and spud lever as are ordinarily employed in well drilling machines for actuating the drill rope.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive means for actuating the drill rope, and for simultaneously feeding the drill rope into the well as the drill works its way downwardly.

\Vith the foregoing general objects outlined, and with other objects in view, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the present invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construe tion hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The present invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment-in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters have been employed to denote corresponding parts, and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device, parts being broken away. F 2 is a plan view of the device in reversed position, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmental detail. Fig. 4;

is a perspective view of the dog or pin employed in carrying out the invention.

in carrying out the invention, reference being had in detail to the drawing, there is provided a suitable frame or supporting structure 1, which may be mounted upon, or which forms a part of, an ordinary well Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 7, 1913.

Patented All". 4:, 1914:.

Serial No. 772,450.

drilling apparatus. A shaft 2 is journaled to the frame 1 and is rotated in one direction, indicated by arrows on the figures, by any suitable prime mover, the shaft being c ntinuousl v rotated during the operation of the machine, and as the manner of actuating the shaft is of no moment, the same need not he further described or illust'ated in detail.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 2 is a drum or reel El, and a disk or wheel 4 is also loosely mounted on the shaft 2 adjoining one end of the drum 3, the central portion of the disk or wheel 1 being ol'i'sct, as at 5, to receive the respective flanged end of the drum. A, series of pintles 6 are secured to the face of the disk 1 adjoining its periphery, so that the disk together with the pinties are in the form of a crown wheel.

Spools or pulleys 7 are mounted loosely or rotatably upon the pintles (l andthc drill cable or rope 8 is trained around the series of spools or pulleys 7, the cable 8 being extended from one of the spools 7 to the drum 3 upon which it is wound. The spool 7 over which the drill cable 8 is trained directly from the drum 3 has a supplemental spool 7 cooperating therewith to prevent the cable from jumping from or working off of the said spool.

The drums 3 being disposed loosely upon the shaft. 2 may be rotated independently of the rotation of the shaft, and to this end, a counter shaft 9 is journaled to the frame 1 beyond the disk or crown wheel 1, sprocket wheels .10 and 11 being secured to the shaft 9 and the respective end of the drum 3 and having a chain 12 trained thereover. It will thus be evident that the rotation of the counter shaft 9 will rotate the drum 3. In order to conveniently rotate the counter shaft 9, the same is provided at one end with a hand wheel 13, and to ordinarily prevent the retrograde or reverse rotation of the shaft 9, the same is provided at the said end with a ratchet wheel 14 cooperating with a pawl or dog 15 carried by the frame. The pawl or dog 15 in engaging the ratchet wheel 14 will prevent the drum 13 from rotating in such a direction as to permit the drill cable to unwind therefrom, but it is evident that when the pawl 15 is released, the drill cable is permitted to unwind from the drum 3, the cable passing around the spools 7 without interfering with the motion or stability of the disk or crown wheel 4..

The disk or crown wheel is oscillated or actuated in a. novel manner, as will be presently described. An arm 16 is keyed or secured rigidly upon the shaft 2 adjoining the disk 4, opposite the drum 3, the free end of said arm being hollow or sockcterl, and hav-- ing a member 17 telescoped or fitting slid ably thereinto. A coiled wire spri g 18 is housed within the arm 16 and i outwardly against the member 17 to normally project the said member, the sliding movement of the member 17 being limited by a lug 19 carried thereby moving within a slot 20 provided in the arm 16. Ordinarily,

the lug 19 seats against the outer end of the slot 20 to properly position the member 17 when it is inactive. A dog or pin 21 is engaged transversely through the outer or free end of the member 17 and has a wheel or roller 22 journaled upon one end thereof the other end of the pin 21 being preferabl squared or flattened. The pin 21 is secured rigidly to the member 17 by means of a screw or other securing member, as will be apparent.

The pin or dog 21 is adapted to engage the disk or crown wheel at under certain conditions, as will hereinafter appear, the said disk being provided with a projection or shoulder 23 with which the respective end of the pin 21 is adapted to one e. The pin 21 and projection or shoulder 23 ordi narily move in curvilinear paths at different distances from the shaft 2., in order that they may pass each other without coming into engagement.

In order to more the pin 21 into engagement with the projection or shoulder 23 of the disk t, an arm 2a is mounted loosely upon the shaft 2 adjoining the arm 16, and is provided at its free end with a cam 25 lying in the path of the roller or wheel 22 carried by the pin 21. The cam 25 is so designed to engage the roller 22 and to force the member 17 inwardly, in order that the pin 21 will more into the path of the projection or shoulder 23 of the disk and to hold the pin in engagement with the said projection until the pin passes the cam 25, in which event, the member 17 will be thrown outwardly by the spring 18 to release the pin from the said projection.

In order that the cam 25 may complement or cooperate with the projection or lug 23, av second counter shaft 9 is journaled upon the frame 1 adjoining, or slightly above the counter shaft 9, the sprocket wheels 10 and 11 being secured to the counter shaft 9 and arm 24, respectively, and having trained thereover, a chain 12. It will thus be obvious that the arm 2 1 may be rotated about the shaft 2 by actuating the counter shaft 9', the counter shaft being provided at one end with the hand wheel 13 for convenience in actuating the same. The counter shaft is prevented from rotating in a retrograde direction, due to the contact of the roller 22 with the cam 25, by means of a ratchet wheel 14 secured to the counter shaft 9 and cooperating with a pawl or dog 15 carried by the frame.

In practice, the present device replaces the ordinary walking beam and spud lever, the present device being readily applied to an ordinary well drilling apparatus. As above intimated, the actuating shaft 2 is continually rotated during the operation of the machine, as by means of a suitable prime mover, or other source of power. The arm 16 being rigid with the shaft 2 will rotate tl'ierewith, and by properly adjusting the arm 2 1 through the medium of the hand wheel 13, the cam 25 may be made to co operate with the projection 23 of the disk 4, in order that when the pin 21 approaches the cam 25, the member 17 in being forced inwardly by the cam, will cause the respectivc end of the pin 21 to engage the projection 23 of the disk or crown wheel, and as a result the disk or crown wheel will be given a slight movement or partial rotation, the pin 21 being released from the projection 28 after the cam 25 is passed. When the pin is thus released from the disk or crown wheel, it being noted that the forced rotation of the disk or crown wheel will cause the drill cable 8 to wind upon the wheel, so as to raise the drill within the well, the disk or crown wheel will again be free so that tne weight of the drill will cause itto gravitate or descend within the well, the disk or crown wheel 4; swinging back to normal position. In this manner, the crown wheel is oscillated during each revolution of the shaft 2, the drill rope being intermittently raised so as to properly actuate the drill.

The drill may be let down, from time to time, as, it works into the earth, this being readily accomplished, by so rotating the drum 3 that the drill cable 8 may unwind. therefrom, the pawl 15 having been released from the ratchetwheel 1 1. Particular atten tion is directed to the fact that the drum is disposed within the periphery of the crown wheel, whereby the drum in being rotated will permit the cable to be unwound without interfering with the reciprocation of the cable to any appreciable extent. The feeding of the drill cable 8 into the well will not affect the operation of the crown wheel, so that the drill cable may be fed into the well simultaneously with the actuation thereof. As the drill works into the earth,

the normal position of the projection or shoulder 23 of the crown wheel Wlll change, but the operator may properly position the cam 25 through the medium of the hand wheel 13. By adjusting the particular position of the cam 25 with respect to the pro jection 23, the motion imparted to the crown wheel may be altered, as will be apparent.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the character described, a rotating shaft, a drum mounted loosely thereon, a crown wheel mounted loosely on the shaft, a cable wound upon the drum and trained over the crown wheel, and means for operably connecting the shaft with the crown wheel at intervals.

In a device of the character described, a drum, a crown wheel, a cable wound upon the drum and trained over the crown wheel, a rotary member having means for engaging the crown wheel, and means for enga ing the aforesaid means with the crown wheel at a point during the rotation of the said member.

In a device of the character described, a rotating shaft, a drmn and a crown wheel mounted loosely thereon, a cable wound upon the drum and trained over the crown wheel, a rotar member carried by the shaft, means cal'liec by the said member for en gaging the crown wheel, and means mounted upon the shaft for moving the said means into engagement with the crown wheel at intervals.

4. In a device of the character described, a rotating shaft, a drum and a crown wheel mounted loosely thereon, a cable wound upon the drum and trained around the crown wheel, an arm secured to the shaft, a spring pressed member carried by the said arm, the said member having means to engage the crown wheel, an arm mounted looselv upon the shaft and having a cam to force the said member against the tension of its spring and to thereby engage the aforesaid means with the crown wheel, and means for adjusting the last mentioned arm.

In a device of the character described, a rotating shaft, a drum and a crown wheel mounted loosely thereon, a cable wound upon the drum and trained over the crown Wheel, the crown wheel having a shoulder, an arm secured rigidly to the shaft, :1 spring pressed member carried by the said arm, the said member and arm having means for limiting the movement of said member, a pin carried by the said member movable in a path different from the path of the said shoulder, an arm mounted loosely on the said shaft and having a cam to force the said member inwardly against the tension of the spring so as to move the pin into the path of the shoulder, and means for adjusting the last mentioned arm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. SLAUGHTER, JR.

Witnesses A. H. CAR'IJWRIGIIT,

M. G. Ronuon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

